


28. Cardboard Box

by love_write_edit_sleep



Series: Child's Play (DBH 31 Fic Challenge) [28]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bed-Wetting, Fluff, Gavin in a waistcoat bc hot damn am I right?, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Nightmares, sorry its short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 21:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15917019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_write_edit_sleep/pseuds/love_write_edit_sleep
Summary: Gavin shows Richard the joys of cardboard boxes. Richard breaks his heart in return.





	28. Cardboard Box

_ “N-no… Dad, don’t hurt them! Dad!” _

“Dad!” Gavin gasped as he shot up, his hand flying to his mouth to muffle the cry. He panted heavily, his heart sinking at the familiar feeling of damp sheets. Fuck… 

“Gavin!” Gavin jumped as Hank burst into the room, his hair fluffy from having just woken up. “You alright?!”

“I-I’m fine.” Gavin whimpered. “I-I, um… I’m so sorry… I-I gotta clean your sheets…”

“What the fuck are you apologising for?”

“It’s  _ wet… _ ” Gavin turned away, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. 

“And? How is that your fault?” Hank asked. “I’ll clean them. Have you got any spare clothes or do you wanna borrow some of Connor’s?”  

“I didn’t bring any, no…” Gavin muttered. Hank smiled sadly.

“Hey…” Hank pulled Gavin in for a loose hug. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. As long as you’re alright, that’s all I care about right now.”

“Dad was going to kill you.” Gavin mumbled against Hank’s shoulder. “All of you. What if this is a mistake, Hank? What if he gets released and comes after us?”

“He’d have a hole in his head before he even reached the fucking door.” Hank assured him. “No abusive wanker is ever coming near my kids.”

“Gabin…?” Hank and Gavin pulled away to see Richard at the door, rubbing his eyes. “Are you okay? I heawd you scweam…”

“I-I’m fine, Richard… Just… Bad dream.” Gavin whispered. Richard blinked.

“Was it your Daddy?” Richard asked. “Was he mean again…?”

“Richard, kid, let’s give Gavin some space, yeah?” Hank whispered, standing and walking over to the child. “Come on, let’s go make some breakfast. I’ll be back in a sec, Gavin.”

Once Hank left, Gavin stripped the bed-sheets off, dumping them in a pile on the floor and trying to forget what had happened. He’d just finished when Hank returned.

“Matthew’s the closest to your size.” Hank muttered, handing Gavin a pile of clothes. “Thought this’d suit you.”

“A waistcoat, Hank? Really?” Gavin sighed. “Look, I’m sorry for pissing your bed and all, but really?”

“It’s a casual waistcoat!” Hank cried. “I just… Thought it’d suit you.”

“You’re one of those weird parents who likes to dress their kids up, huh?” Gavin muttered. “I guess it’s fine…” After all, his Dad had never wanted to dress him up, unless it was to force him into a dress for some special occasion. Even then, it wasn’t as heart-warming as this felt.

“You don’t have to-”

“No. I… Never had an outfit picked out by my Dad before, so… Thanks.” Gavin forced a smile. Hank smiled back, gathering the bed-sheets.

“Gimme a shout if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

* * *

“Gavin, you look great!” Matthew beamed. Gavin shrugged.

“They were the only dark clothes you had, according to Hank.” Gavin picked as his burgundy shirt, black waistcoat sitting on top snuggly. “Olive is more my colour.”

“Oooh, Olive and brown would work.” Matthew though aloud, scanning Gavin. “And gold.”

“Stop dressing me up.” Gavin scowled.

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

“Who on Earth is that?” Hank muttered, plodding through the living room to the door and yanking it open. “Who on Earth are you?”

“Hank Anderson? Matthew told us you were awake! How are you? Oh- oh, we haven’t met before. My name is Jerry, this is my boyfriend Ralph. We’re friends of Matthew.”

“You’re family, we’ve been through this.” Gavin rolled his eyes.

“Ralph likes your suit.” Ralph smiled. Gavin blushed.

“Whatever…”

“So you’re the new family, huh?” Hank chuckled. “Awesome.”

“We came to drop off some boxes.” Jerry beamed, indicating to a large pile of boxes behind him. “We received a tonne of equipment at the carnival. Ralph likes making things out of boxes so I thought Richard might like to too.”

“Thanks, kid.” Hank chuckled. “You coming in?”

“I would love to but I have work.” Jerry beamed.

“Sure thing. What about you, Ralph?”

“Ralph would like to stay… Jerry, can Ralph stay…?” Ralph whispered, glancing up at his boyfriend. Jerry pressed a soft kiss to Ralph’s nose.

“Of course you can. I’ll pick you up after work, okay?”

“Okay. Bye, Jerry.”

“Bye, Ralph.”

“Come in, Ralph.” Gavin smiled, guiding the android in as Hank brought the boxes in. “How’re you?”

“Ralph is good… How is Gavin?”

“I’m… okay.” Gavin shrugged. “Hey, guys, look who’s here.”

“Walph!” Richard ran to the android, throwing his arms around him. Ralph giggled and picked the child up, hugging him tight.

“Ralph is happy to see you, tiny one!” Ralph beamed. Richard giggled.

“Wichard is happy to see you too!”

“Hi, Ralph!” Matthew smiled from the couch, where he and Connor were looking through wedding ideas on the laptop.

“It’s good to see you again.” Connor added.

“It is good to see Ralph’s family again.” Ralph blushed, putting Richard down. “Ralph and Jerry brought boxes.”

“Oh, yes!” Matthew shoved the laptop at Connor. “Jerry told me about those! He thought it was a great opportunity for Richard.”

“Hell, yeah.” Gavin chuckled. “Decorating boxes was awesome as a kid.”

“At least your Pops let you do something fun.” Hank muttered, dragging the boxes in. “There’s enough for a box each.”

“Dips on the largest one!” Gavin called. 

“No, I need that one!” Richard cried over him. Hank rubbed his forehead.

This was gonna be a fucking nightmare.

* * *

Richard somehow ended up with the big box.

Hank nearly snorted when he entered the living room with two coffees and four thirium shakes only to find his 4 childish adults and 1 adult child scribbling on boxes. 

“Looking good, kids.” Hank smirked, putting the tray on the coffee table. “What’re you all doing?”

“Hank, I made a recycling bin.” Connor proudly showed him the box he’d drawn a recycling symbol on and coloured green. 

“Ever the practical child. Good job, Connor.” 

“Mine’s a spaceship.” Matthew beamed, turning the box to show Hank.

“Beautiful.” Hank chuckled. “I’m liking your house, Ralph.”

“Thank you. Ralph drew plants up the sides.”

“I can see that.” Hank smiled. The box was practically covered in drawings of flowers and plants. “What about you, Gavin?”

“It’s a box of shame.” Gavin scowled from where he sat in his box, scrolling through his phone, the words ‘box of shame’ written along the side.

“Jesus Christ, Gavin.” Hank shook his head. “Right, I’m sorting this out.” Hank knelt down and picked up a pen, scribbling over Gavin’s writing.

“Hey!”

“Stop being a baby!” Hank grumbled as he wrote ‘Drama Child’ on the flap. Gavin scoffed and turned back to his phone. “Hey, Richard, what’re you doing?”

“It’s a pwison.” Richard explained. Gavin and Hank looked at each other for a moment and blinked.

“What?”

“Huh?”

“For Gabin’s Dad. Gabin’s scawed about when he gets out of pwison so I made a jail for him. When he gets out, he’ll go stwaight into this one!” Richard beamed. “It’s a foowl pwoof plan!”

“Fuck…” Gavin muttered, burying his face in his hands.

“Gabin? Are you okay?” Richard asked.

“I’m fine.” Gavin muttered. “Just… fucking ripped my heart out…”

“Aw, come here.” Hank chuckled, ruffling Gavin’s hair. Gavin cried out.

“Hank!”

* * *

_ “6 kids, Cole. 6 fucking kids. Connor, Gavin, Richard, Matthew, now Ralph and Jerry. You make 7. Then we got fricking Robo-Jesus and his bunch as the nieces and nephews. I didn’t ask for this. But… I wouldn’t change it for anything, you know? Well… I’d change the fact that you’re… I’d change that… But I can’t…” _


End file.
